Tray cleaner



NOV. 13, 1934. F TONlATT] 1,980,602

TRAY CLEANER Filed Nov. 28, 19:53 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR TFTonaZtv' ATTORNEY BY MQZQAAAL,

T. F. TONIATTI Nov. 13, 1934.

TRAY CLEANER Filed Nov. 28, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 TFToniaZZoT Q g la'ToRNEY Nov. 13, 1934. T. F. TONIATTI 1,980,602

TRAY CLEANER Filed Nov. 28, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY QN mm 0 N Q i W 8 W x Q i a u a i O 1F? i V m2 Q i G O km E 8.

Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for scrubbing fruit trays, such as are used for drying fruit. My principal objects are to provide a machine for the purpose having means for simultaneously scrubbing both sides of the tray bottom as well as the side cleats; one in which the brushes may be individually adjusted for wear or to vary the scrubbing pressure; one having automatically yielding means to guide and advance the tray regardless of irregularities in its height and width into engagement with the brushes and to withdraw the tray from the machine so that physical work incident to eflicient washing operations is less; and to generally improve the construction of machines of this character so that a very eflicient scrubbing and washing action is had.

I have also provided an improved mounting or assembly of brush elements on the supporting shaft so that replacements are facilitated and the cost of the same reduced.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is an end view of the machine.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section of the upper portion of the machine taken near one end.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the machine partly broken out.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing a tray being scrubbed.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a portable wheel mounted chassis of suitable character on which the open topped tank 2 is mounted; the scrubbing mechanism being mounted in direct connection with the tank. Vertical slots 3 are cut in the endscf the tank centrally of its Width from the top down a certain distance, a longitudinal shaft 4 passing through the slots. The shaft is journaled in bearings 5 adjustably secured to the tank to the sides of the slots so that the vertical position of the shaft may be altered. s

The shaft inside the tank is secured to a rotary brush B. This comprises a hexagonal core 6, and separate back members 7 for the bristles 8 ektending along the different faces of the core. The backs are mounted in channel shaped holders '7 having end lugs 10 projecting beyond the backs and removably secured to the core by bolts 11. In

this manner any segment of the rotary brush is easily replaced if necessary without discarding the entire brush. A cover 12 extends over the top of the tank and is hinged as at 13 thereto along one side edge, being releasably clamped along its opposite edge by suitable means such as swivel bolts 14. The cover has a raised portion 15 extending over the greater portion of its area which is freely open along the sides of the tanks and forms a tunnel through which the trays pass lengthwise of themselves from one side of the tank to the other. The rotary brush extends nearly the full length of the raised portion (or the width of the tunnel) and the periphery of the bristles extends nearly to the top of the same, as shown in Figure 2.

Shafts l6 and 1'7 extending lengthwise of the tank are turnably mounted on the cover 12 along the outside of the same at the entering and discharge ends respectively of the tunnel and adjacent the top of the same, said shafts carrying resilient rolls 18 near their ends. Other shafts l9 and are disposed parallel to and below the shafts 16 and 17 respectively, said shafts also carrying resilient rolls 21 alined with the rolls 18. The shafts 19 and 20 are mounted at their ends on swivel arms 22, said arms being connected to springs 23 tending to pull the shafts up. Such upward movement is limited by suitably arranged set screws 24 so that the rolls may be held at a predetermined distance from each other, such distance being somewhat less than the height of a tray while the spacing between the opposed pairs of rolls is less than the length of a tray.

The trays to be washed comprise bottom boards 25 and cleats 26 forming the sides of the tray, the ends of the same being open. Extending across the cover on a level between the cooperating feed rolls are vertical guide plates 27 to engage the sides of a tray being passed through the tunnel. These plates are mounted on pins 28 slidably mounted in the side walls of the tunnel and are yieldably advanced toward each other to a predetermined limit by springs 29.

At the feed in end of the tunnel the plates are provided with iii-turned horizontal ledges 30 disposed below the top of the lower rolls 21. At the opposite ends of the plates similar vertically resilient ledges 31 project to the adjacent cooperating feed rolls and normally terminate on a level slightly above that of the lower rolls 21. The plates 27 terminate short of the adjacent or discharge end of the tunnel, as in Figure 2, so as to leave room for the mounting of spring strips 32 v c on the side walls of the tunnel. Relatively small brush members 33 are mounted on the free end ofthese strips, said brushes facing each other and overhanging the strips 31.

Between the rotary brush B and the feed in end of the tunnel, a slot 34 is cut in the top of the same for its full width, said slot being covered by a removable hood. 35 secured to the top of the tunnel in a suitable water-tight manner. A shaft 36 parallel to theshaft 4 is turnable in bearings 37 mounted for vertical adjustment on supports 38 disposed at the ends of the hood, said hood being cut away about the supports. A rotary brush 39 preferably of the same general construction as the brush B but of smaller dimensions radially, is mounted on the shaft 36, the periphcry of the brush 39 projecting below the top of the tunnel. The brush 39 is so positioned that while its bottom circle of rotation horizontally overlaps the top circle of the brush B, the brushes are spaced apart so that they never interfere and wear against each other.

Doors 40 and 41 close the intake and discharge ends respectively of the tunnel and are pivoted along their lower edges on the cover 12. The door 40 is set with an upward slope away from the adjacent feed rolls while the door 41. has an upward slope toward the adjacent rolls as shown in Figure 2. Springs 42 act to hold the doors closed. In this manner a tray moving through the tunnel successively engages and pushes the 7 doors open and the doors close of themselves after the tray has passed through. The provision of the doors prevents to a large extent the splashing out of any water thrown up by the brushes with their rotation.

The shaft 4 is driven by any suitable power means and is connected at one end to the shaft 36 to rotate in the same direction by a chain drive 43 or the like having a take-up means as indicated in Figure 1, so that the shafts can be adjusted vertically and independently of each other without affecting the drive. By means of this arrangement it will be seen that while the two brushes rotate in the same direction, they engage the opposite surfaces of a tray in relatively opposite directions so that undue retarding of movement of the tray, or on the other handunduly fast feeding of the same through the tunnel, is avoided.

The shaft 4 carries a pinion 44 engaging a gear 45 adjustably mounted on a support S on the tank to one side of the pinion for movement about the shaft 17 as an axis. A chain drive 46 connects the gear and feed shaft 17. In this manner the shaft 4 may be adjusted up and down and may be held in engagement with the gear 45 by adjusting the latter, without affecting the desired drive to the shaft 17.

The shafts 16 and 17 are connected to rotate in the same direction by a chain drive 4'7 or the like while the adjacent shafts 16 and 19, and 17 and 20 are connected by resilient crossed belts 48 so that the cooperating rolls will rotate in opposite directions and keep separated from each other without affecting the driving.

Spray pipes 49 extend lengthwise of the tank or crosswise of the tunnel and are mounted on the cover 12 to direct sprays upwardly against the tray before it is engaged by the brush B. A similar downwardly directing spray pipe 50 is mounted in the hood 35 just beyond the brush 39. Another upwardly directing spray pipe 51 is mounted on the cover 12 just in front of the door 41. Another downwardlydirecting spray pipe 52 is mounted in side the tunnel.

a chamber 53 upstanding from the tunnel adjacent the door 41. It is to be understood that all the pipes extend the full length of the brushes or the full distance between the guide plates 2'7. The spray pipes 49 and 59 supply washing water to the tray while the spray pipes 51 and 52 direct rinsing water against the scrubbed tray.

The various pipes extend to the exterior of the tank and cover for connection to a suitable supply of water. I preferably connect the bottom of the tank with a circulating pump 54 connected to the spray pipes 49 and 50 by central piping connections 55. Similar external pipe connections 55c from the spray pipes 51 and 52 are adapted for connection to a source of clean water. The pump 54 also has an intake fitting 56 for connection to a source of fresh water, there being a three-way valve between said fitting, the tank and the pump so as to connect the pump with the tank or with said fitting selectively.

A drain pipe 58 is also connected to the bottom of the tank. To collect solid matter brushed from the tray and prevent the same entering the pipe, screen frames 59 are preferably mounted in the tank. near the bottom. These screens are adapted to be removed from or placed in position without removing the rotary brush B, by movement of the screens up the sides of the tank upon raising the cover 12. I

In operation a tray to be scrubbed is first inverted and is then fed between the feed in rolls so as to enter the tunnel, the rolls of course advancing the traythrough the tunnel. With such movement ..the various brushes successively engage and scrub all the surfaces of the tray, while at the same time said surfaces are being sprayed with water to loosen the solid matter being scrubbed therefrom. The end bristles of the brush B are also cut away or notched as shown at C in Figure 4 so that they not only clean the bottom of the tray but also the adjacent surface of the side cleats. The opposed brushes 33 of course engage the outer surfaces of the cleats after they have become disengaged from the guide plates 27. By reason of the supporting ledges 30 and 31 being separated from each other, the upper faces of the cleats are exposed for engagement with the brush B: as above explained. The sets of feed rolls being spaced apart a distance less than the length of a tray, said tray is engaged by the rolls at the discharge end of the machine before the feed in rolls at the other end let go, so that there is'never any danger of the tray being stalled in- The various feed rolls being yieldable vertically while the guide plates are yieldable laterally accommodates the device to any tray of a nominal given size irrespective of any such variations in the height or width of such trays. as is likelyto be encountered.

The sections of upper rotary brush 39 may be removed for'r'eplacement or other purpose by removing the hood-35, while the rotary brush B may be similarly inspected or removed upon lifting the cover 12.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the del: vice, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tray washer including an open ended enclosure through which a tray is moved lengthwise, guides mounted in said enclosure to engage the outer side faces of the tray as it is moved, ledges extending along each guide to support the top edges of the sides of an inverted tray, said ledges being spaced apart, and scrubbing means to engage the bottom of the tray and the top edges of the sides as exposed between the ledges.

2. A tray washer including an open ended enclosure through which a tray is moved lengthwise, guides mounted in said enclosure to engage the outer side faces of the tray as it is moved, ledges extending along the guides to support the tray, scrubbing means to engage the bottom of a supported tray, and means mounting the guides for yielding movement transversely of the tray.

3. A tray washer comprising a washing enclosure, elements in the enclosure to support a tray, means to move the tray through the enclosure, a brush in the enclosure to engage the under surface of the tray, and a cover forming part of the enclosure and engaging the upper surface of the tray to prevent upward movement of the same when pressingly engaged by the brush.

4. A tray washer comprising a washing enclosure, elements in the enclosure to support a tray, means to move the tray through the enclosure, a brush in the enclosure to engage the under surface of the tray, a cover forming part of the enclosure and engaging the upper surface of the tray above the brush to prevent upward displacement of the tray when pressingly engaged by the brush, said cover having an opening beyond the brush, a brush in said opening to scrub the upper surface of the tray, and a hood on said cover enclosing said opening and the last named brush. THEODORE F. TONIAT'I'I. 

